Nick Melsheimer, Matthew Klatt, Katarina Klatt.
Three Carson Tigershark swimmers have qualified for the 2017 Pacific 14 and under Junior Olympics. Matteas Klatt, Katrina Klatt and Nick Melsheimer will compete in the Junior Olympic meet to be hosted by the Carson Tigersharks March 10, 11 and 12.
Stanford, Notre Dame, University of Georgia, Auburn University, and Ohio State are just a few top tier universities Carson Tigersharks swimmers have gone off to for their college careers and it could be this spring sparks a comeback of sorts for the Tigersharks swim club with three of their swimmers in the Junior Olympic meet.
Matteas Klatt, 13 years old, qualified for all the freestyle events; 50 free, 100, free, 200 free, 500 free and the 1,650 free. He qualified for the meet for a second time. “It means that this is the next step towards reaching my swimming goals,” said Klatt about what it means to be in the meet. “I want to qualify for Far Westerns and then Sectionals as a 14 year old. I am hoping I drop 2 seconds in the 100 freestyle at this meet. As a JO qualifier for the last 2 years, I got some extra help from my coaches and I have learned new race skills. I am thankful to finally swim in Carson City for this event. Last year in California, it poured all weekend and we were outside the entire time.”
Katarina Klatt, 11 years old, qualified for the 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 500 free and 50 backstroke. “It means that I worked hard in practice and I tried my best in meets to become a JO qualifier,” said Matteas’ sister about her accomplishment. “It feels a little scary to be one of the only ones representing the Tigersharks at JOs, because there is a lot of pressure to swim well. My goals at JOs are to get under 27 seconds in the 50 free. I am glad the JOs are being held in Carson this spring and we don’t have to travel to the bay area this year.”
Melsheimer, 12 years old, qualified for the 50 free, 100 free, 50 butterfly and 100 breaststroke. “It is something I have been working on ever since joining the Tigersharks when I was 8,” said Melsheimer about making the meet. “Being able to not only swim at the Junior Olympic swim meet but to represent this swim team is incredible. This team has meant a lot to me and I am proud to represent them.”
The three swimmers have grown up in the Tigersharks program, workig their way up from being novice swimmers.
The 2017 Junior Olympic meet will be held at the Carson Aquatic Facility on March 10, 11 and 12, with prelims running from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and finals, deciding the top eight in the region, beginning at 4 p.m. each day. For more information on the meet contact Becki Boehnke, Team Manager, at 775-721-6142 or becki@tigersharks.org or check out the team’s website at www.tigersharks.org.
